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The innovation process of idea generation, idea evaluation, and idea implementation is critical to create momentum. However, sometimes teams or leaders slip into idea evaluation too quickly, quenching idea generation. Other times, a leader generates too many ideas but fails to implement them. The following quotes are worth discussing with your team when considering the strategies, benefits, and challenges involved in the innovation process.

“To WOW, you must differentiate yourself, which means do something a little unconventional and innovative.” Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos, in Delivering Happiness

“Original thinkers will come up with many ideas that are strange mutations, dead ends, and utter failures. The cost is worthwhile because they also generate a larger pool of ideas – especially novel ideas.” Stanford professor Robert Sutton

“A great company is more likely to die of indigestion from too much opportunity than from starvation from too little.” Packard’s Law

“We spend a lot of time thinking about the ways that prestige and resources and belonging to elite institutions make us better off. We don’t spend enough time thinking about the ways in which those kinds of material advantages limit our options.” Malcolm Gladwell in David and Goliath

“The pruning moment is that clarity of enlightenment when we become responsible for making the decision to either own the vision or not. If we own it, we have to prune. If we don’t, we have decided to own the other vision, the one we called average. It is a moment of truth we encounter almost every day in many, many decisions.” Dr. Henry Cloud in Necessary Endings

Jay Desko is the Executive Director of The Center and serves on the Senior Leadership Team at Calvary Church in Souderton, PA. Jay brings experience in the areas of ministry assessment, leadership coaching, decision-making, and strategic questioning. Jay’s degrees include a B.S. in Bible, a M.Ed in Instructional Systems Design and a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Leadership.